Expandable Airway Stents: Success in the Extrinsic Bronchial Compression Approach After Reconstruction of the Aortic Arch

Introduction

The interruption of the aortic arch is a rare congenital cardiopathy, whose surgical correction generally requires reconstruction of the aortic arch. This intervention can cause distortion of the aortopulmonary space and results in bronchial compression with a consequent pulmonary atelectasis and dependence on ventilatory assistance. The most commonly used therapeutic options for bronchial decompression are not always enough to make pulmonary expansion possible. Our study presents a case of the implant of an endoluminal stent in an infant who, in the post-operative stage of the correction of the interruption of the aortic arch, developed complete atelectasis of the left lung secondary to bronchial compression, with no response after posterior aortopexy

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